Decision Making Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decision Making - Case Study Example Dave finds himself worked up in relation to meeting the deadline of making a computer software. The problem results in Dave’s departmental chaos as well as crippling of the finance department. As much as the staff met the deadline, the process caused problems to the performance of the firm as a whole. The relevance of the decision-making steps in this work is, therefore, to give an insight into the best approaches to managing stressful situations. The first step in decision-making is to identify the problem or opportunity (Marrelli, Massimo and Giacomo 23). For instance, in the case study, Alex took the time to realize that there was a problem in Dave’s department because of their crash programs in meeting deadline. From the case study, the primary problem was the fact that Dave and his department’s predicaments caused a standstill in the operations of the finance department. There was also the risk that the company faced possible failures in the delivery of their product to its client. The third problem was the fact that Dave’s department struggled too much to meet the expected deadline when they had had the whole week to work comfortably. The second step in the process is to gather all the relevant information from the case. For this case, such a move is essential in determining the relevance of the likely decision to the case. It gives the decision-makers a chance to know what is relevant to the decision they want to make and to determine who else can help in solving it. In the case study, Alex took the time studying Dave’s behavior and took him out for coffee during which he learned critical aspects of his predicament. Next, it is necessary to analyze the situation, which will give the decision-maker a chance to learn the probable causes of the condition. There is also the need that the concerned parties weigh the possibilities of their decision on the

Mens Cosmetic Market Essay Example for Free

Mens Cosmetic Market Essay The definition of a niche market is that the product interests just a few people. The target is represented by a limited segment and, in order for the market to be profitable, only one or two companies can be positioned on this specialized segment. In the market of hygiene and beauty for men, and especially in the cosmetics, the offer has been ignored by the cosmetics brand for a long time. In fact, until the end of the 1990s, beauty products for men were almost non-existent on the market. They did not have a special space the stores and the men strictly used products in a utilitarian aspect. This market has interested just a few brands because it was considered as a niche. Only the group L’Oreal had the courage to launch itself in this segment in 1985 with Biotherm Homme. This brand is considered like a pioneer in the men’s’ cosmetics. In fact, Biotherm was almost alone for more than 15 years, and it is the first one which dares to proclaim that men also need to take care of themselves, to clean their skin, combining the pleasure and the wellness by usingcreams, lotions, even anti-wrinkle creams. In the 90s, Nickel, an exclusive brand for men, launched an offensive by creating masculine beauty institutes. Then, in 1996, it launched its own line for men only. In fact, thanks to the succeed of its institutes, the brand noticed an real capacity and opportunity in this market. This new brand bound to men only knew how to enter in this market, thanks to its concept composed by different offers: one on the products, and the other one on the performance of services. But, the real revolution occurred in 2001 with the arrival of Vichy for men and Clarins in 2002. A lot of brands begin to be seriously interested in this growing segment and real competition appears. A new potential is detected by the big cosmetologist firms. †¢ The â€Å"masculinity of the women’s products It is important to consider the cosmetics’ world in two distinct parts; the market for the men and the one for the women. Even if there are not big distinctions between the products, those two markets are quite different. In fact, the men have not the same demand concerning the product. That is why the offer cannot be the same for both. The ideal product for most men must have some properties and qualities such as being invisible, fast, pleasant to put, easy to use, without smells and with an efficient result. Thus, men are not searching for a feminine product, otherwise, they will continue to use their wife’s ones. They really look for a product adapted to them and to their needs and wants. Moreover, the demand is different from the women: They (the women) like to use make up, take care of their body and their face by putting moisturizing cream on it†¦ Men have not already surpassed the taboos of the society, and, moreover, they do not like to â€Å"spread† cream on their body. That is why they will be more attracted by products for shaving, for hairs. But this current demand will probably change in the next years. The strength of Nickel was to propose from the beginning a technique and know-how studied specially for men. For instance, in his institutes, the technique for depilation was specially adapted for them. Moreover, in order to stay in â€Å"a masculine tonality†, the brand gave names with a masculine connotation that do not make the men â€Å"guilty†, such as â€Å"torse de boxeur† (boxer chest) or â€Å"jambes de cyclistes† (biker legs). 1. 1. 2. Changes in the men cosmetics’ market Blossoming (rapid development) of cosmetics for men As it was said before, the market of cosmetics, at the beginning, interested just a few brands and also, few men. Initially, this world is attributed to women only. In fact, cosmetology is synonymous of seduction, beauty, healthiness, or pleasure. Those words represent what the women are looking for when it comes to cosmetics. But, finally, the market of men cosmetics takes off after years of waiting thanks to different changes: mentalities of the new masculine generation, appearance of â€Å"metrosexual†, social liberalization of homosexual, and the fact that men want to stay young. The relationship between men and cosmetic products has changed and nowadays, they admit the fact that they also look for pleasure and wellness by using cosmetics. Bit by bit, firms pass over some barriers that men did not think they could transcend: make the men taking care of their skin, then, make them epilating and after, everything follows and continues to change. Make-up, Spa centres, beauty institutes, anti-wrinkles cream, hair cares†¦ â€Å"Their interest for their appearance expresses in their point: thus, they are 64,6% to take care of their skin, 73,8% to attach importance to their hair, and 31,8% like trying novelties. In addition, 38,7% states they devote time to take care of themselves. Those figures are clearly higher for the men under than25 years old and decrease gradually with the age†. All begins in 1985 when Biotherm launched Biotherm Homme, a line specially dedicated to men use. But, the market really took off in 2001 with the appearance of many brands interested in that specific market such as Nivea for Men, Klorane, Vichy Homme, Nickel, Phytomer, Clarins Men. Many lines and brands still appear on this market. It is in constant growth since its apparition and above all since 2001. This market is bound to be successful for both top-of-range and mass distribution. †¢ Opportunities of the market The advantages of this market are real since it is accessible and opened on the growth. In fact, forecasts are optimistic but the results are above the foretold success. For instance, Clarins Men reached 170% of its objectives in 2002 18 by the fact that the average number of products bought by the men is higher that the women’s one. According to Christian Courtin from Clarins, men buy â€Å"well beyond their forecast, men buy on average 4 products, against only two for women. Another example is Biotherm Homme, the pioneer: its line counts 45 products. Between 1997 and 2002, this brand knew a growth of more than 250%. It is true that the purchase from the men reaches unhoped-for proportions, but a demand without attracting cannot be a balanced market. This is why many brands of hygiene-beauty specialized in the female market launch a reserved range for the men in order to benefit from a market less encumbered, of a stronger growth, evolution of mentalities and to create a place in this market before being lagging behind. Indeed, some firms benefit from advantages before even catapulting themselves in the masculine care, because while being already present for the women, they enjoy a good reputation, therefore of a true credibility, an image of specialist and financial means the consequent ones. The arrival in force of the interest for the male world does not reach only the beauty care. The readers express a real passion for the male press, which arranges the market because, thanks to this mean of communication, it makes them known. Whether it be Maximal, Men’s Health, New look, or even Mr. Magazine, they approach each subject having attracted with the beauty. Men’s cosmetics amount to 50% (one in every two men), whereas nowadays, it is just 21% and in 1994, it was just 4% of men who stated they used regularly face care products 1. 2. THE MARKET IN FACTS 1. 2. 1. The global cosmetics’ market: The market of men cosmetic is absolutely not the rival of the women market because it represents only the fortieth 24 of the feminine cosmetology. But, in spite of its modest size, this market is bound to a continuous and fast growth, which is a sizeable advantage. According to the French newspaper â€Å"le Monde†, the trends are not so optimistic for the manufacturers of cosmetics. In fact, in Europe, the market of cosmetics in general is about 59,47 billion euros according to the European Association of the companies of hygienebeauty- perfumery (Colipa) and it presents a growth of the sales modestly positive (+ 2% in 2004, against + 3,5% in 2003). Those sales even start to regress in Germany and France, the two biggest European markets. If the women still buy as many hair or skin care products, the purchases of perfumes, and more generally of make-up (nail varnishes, for example) decrease. The main reason seems to be probably the price. 1. 2. 2. The European market of men’s cosmetics 2013: It has been a somewhat mixed year for the men’s lines market across the Big 5 wih some ups and downs. Male grooming continues to be a market that on the whole, is growing. But that is not to say the category hasn’t been affected by the credit crunch – a crisis Europe is only now making proper strides out of France As all the group members are French, and because this market is quite representative about what is happening through all Western Europe, it is interesting to present the facts and figures for the French market. The French industry of cosmetics is an industry which â€Å"draws† the growth: In 2006, French cosmetic industry saw its sales progressing for the fortieth consecutive year. The sales turnover is divided harmoniously between exports (57%) and the sales in France (43%). For 2006, cosmetic industry grew of 3,5% which is half more quickly than the national economy. The French market for men’s cosmetics follows the world tendency. The total sales turnover (produced care, of beauty and perfumes for men) progressed of almost 140% between 1998 and 2003, to 42,16 million euros, according to statistics of the federation of industries of perfumery (FIP). For the only products of care and beauty, the progression is 294%, with 21,37 million. Products for men, account for 10,3% of the total French market of the cosmetic, but 25% of the sales of perfumes. 2013: In France figures from SymphonyIRI France revealed that male grooming fell by 0. 2% over the past year in value terms, with volume figures slumping by a worrying 1. 8%. The male grooming market in France is now worth â‚ ¬934. 6m, while volume sales came in at 195. 05m units. Natural products have always been popular with French men and the past year was no exception. Germany  In Germany things were a bit brighter for the male grooming market, which saw growth of 4. 2% over the past year in value terms to total â‚ ¬538. 61m, according to SymphonyIRI Germany. Volume figures were also positive up 3. 2% to 265. 36m units. All areas saw a growth in value sales – men’s shower products put on 1. 6% to make â‚ ¬122. 84m, while men’s deodorant products rose 4. 5% to â‚ ¬140. 62m and men’s facial skin care products increased a massive 13. 5% to â‚ ¬1. 89m. Italy  Male grooming in Italy experienced a disappointing turn of events over the past year as value sales slid by 3%, according to industry body Unipro. All sectors saw a decline in sales with a 1. 7% drop in male soaps, shaving foams and gels; a 3. 7% decline in aftershave products; and a 4. 4% decline in treatment creams. Although the figures for the past year do not seem to suggest it, Italian men are famously into their beauty products and L’Oreal Italy predominantly monopolised launches in this category. Spain  More bad news was in store for Spain, where male grooming fell by a worrying 5. 69% in value terms to â‚ ¬312m and 4% in volume terms to 45. 2m units, according to SymphonyIRI Spain. In terms of what each individual sub-sector was worth, razors accounted for the lion’s share of this, at â‚ ¬203. 1m; shaving foams, creams and gels made â‚ ¬43. 5m; pre-shave treatments and aftershaves were worth â‚ ¬30. 1m; while facial treatments accounted for â‚ ¬35. 3m worth of sales. The recent gloomy environment, however, does not seem to have deterred brands from new product development as quite a few new launches for men hit Spanish shelves over the last year. UK  Fortunately it has not been all doom and gloom in the UK over the past year – the market here put on 2. % in the past year to make ? 782. 74m in value terms, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Volume also inched up by 0. 8% to 345. 15m units. All sub-sectors saw good growth including fragrances up 11. 9% and hairdressing products up 9. 8%. A slew of new launches hit shelves including those from supermarket giant Tesco, salon range Bed Head and a number of British niche brands. 2. 2. 2. THE MARKET ACTORS Men cosmetics’ market is still in a structuring phase. Nevertheless, 3 kinds of actors are appearing: †¢ Cosmetics industry leaders These actors are the most powerful in the market. They all have important financial and organisational ways to impose their products in the male market. They pursue a roll-over strategy close to the one used since a long time in the female market. Among the leaders: Beiersdorf with Nivea for Men, Clarins with Clarins Men, Estee Lauder with Aramis and Clinique, L’Oreal with Biotherm, Vichy, L’Oreal Paris and Lancome, and Shisheido with Shisheido, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Decleor. To keep their ranks, the leaders are now compelled to spread their product ranges to stay in the competition. Care universe actors Some brands benefit of a strong credibility thanks to the care market. This market has several advantages in the distribution network pharmacies, institutes, spas thanks to their support. Actually, these actors take advantage of the know-how and the credibility which characterize care and pharmaceutical world, and could get a determinant rank in the market. Brands and laboratories to know are for instance Pierre Fab re with Klorane, Sanofi-Aventis with Lipofactor, Phytomer and Decleor. †¢ Independent cosmetics’ makers They strongly stimulate the market by adapting their offer to men, but their diffusion stay confidential. To become strong, this group needs distributors to give visibility to beauty for men through specific spaces or special concepts. Independent makers have to use particular ways and specific concepts to introduce the market because they do not have the power of the market current players. Examples of independent makers are The Body Shop or Nickel. 2. 2. 3. Competition analysis †¢ New entrants threat Cosmetics sector is a very competitive one where in which are many brakes. Indeed, companies have to think about rules, high investments’ level, and scale economies. Innovation should be a primacy objective. However, research amp; development and communication costs are very high, and all companies can not invest heavily. This is of course not the case of firms such as L’Oreal, Nivea and Clarins, which already have a past fame very important. Thanks to this successful past, it would be hard for new entrants to find some place in the market. †¢ Substitutes threat Substitutes are not a real threat in cosmetics’ market. Yet, men use more and more aesthetic surgery. Actually, a patient on ten is a man. Today, men better assume their beauty’s envy. Most of men do not like going to buy beauty products. That is why they borrow them to their partners, who have, moreover, an adviser role. Finally, the distributors’ brands can be a threat. The market shares of these brands is growing more and more. Nevertheless, male products in supermarkets are often just shaving products and deodorants. †¢ Suppliers’ power Suppliers’ power seems to be light as well. Without big brands, suppliers and conditionment factories could not live. It is still important to keep good contacts with suppliers, especially those which have rare raw materials. †¢ Customers’ power A company has always to maintain its sustainable advantage by creating original products, adapted to the market targets. It is difficult to attract man’s attention since he is maybe not used to buy cosmetic products. So it is necessary to know and to analyse his needs and wants, and to succeed to satisfy him: a satisfied man is a loyal consumer for a long time.

Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control

Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control The Effect of Superstition on the Perception of Control over a Partially Uncontrollable Situation The effects of superstition on the an individuals behaviour has long been an area of interest in psychological research. Matute (1994, 1995) showed that an individuals response to uncontrollable circumstances is dictated by their level of superstition. Individuals with low levels of superstitious belief tend to show a decrease in cognitive capacity motivation, known as learned helplessness (Abramson, Seligman, Teasdale, 1978; Hiroto Seligman, 1975). Whilst individuals with high levels of superstitious belief, on the other hand, do not appear to develop this learned helpless, and it has been hypothesised superstitions provide an individual with an illusion of control (Matute 1994, 1995). Likewise, Dudley (1999) suggested that superstitious beliefs inhibit the learned helplessness effect by provided participants with an external locus of control. Conversely, it has been suggested that there may be other factors which inhibit the learned helplessness effect, such as attribution style (Abramson et at., 1978). Seligman (as cited in Rudski, 2004), conducted an experiment which showed that individual who formed particularly pessimistic attributions were susceptible to learned helplessness, in addition to depression. Furthermore, many studies which investigate superstitious belief the illusion of control do so by utilising judgements of contingency from the participant. Contingency judgements are useful as they help to explain how the illusion of control develops in participants (Yarritu, Matute, Vadillo, 2013). Blanco, Matute Vadillo (2011) showed that a participants contingency judgement is dependant on their level of action. It has been suggested, that the this combination with this level of action effect, and the high probability of a specific outcome, even when that outcome is uncontrollable, is what caused the participant to develop the illusion of control (Yarritu et at., 2013). This study aims to build on pre-existing research by investigating whether an individuals perception of control over a partially uncontrollable situation is impacted by their level of superstitious belief. To do this, participants were asked to perform a contingency judgement task, the results of which were then compared in relation to their level of superstition. It is hypothesised, firstly, that individuals with higher levels of superstition will report having higher levels of control in the active condition, when compared to individuals with low superstition and secondly, that this effect will be less apparent in the passive condition. Method Participants The participants were 996 undergraduate psychology students from the University of New South Wales (mean age = 19.8 years; 644 females: 352 males). They participated in this experiment as part of their week 5 tutorial class. Design This study took the form of a quasi-experiment, as it assessed the participants perception of control over a partially controllable situation, in relation to their level of superstition. As such, the independent variable, high or low superstition, was determined by the Superstitious Beliefs Questionnaires (SBQ). Participants were divided into the high superstition and low superstition groups based on a median split of the SBQ score. Based on the responses given, 492 participants (mean age = 19.7 years; 320 females: 172 males) were allocated to the high superstition group, whilst the remaining 504 participants (mean age = 19.9 years; 324 females: 180 males) formed the low superstition group. This experiment then tested two conditions, dubbed the active and the passive condition. The dependent variable, that is, the participants perception of control, was then measured, by self-report. Materials The experiment was carried out on standard computer terminals in one of the universitys computer labs. Inquisit software (Millisecond Software, Seattle) was used to present the experimental stimuli. In the active condition, participants were presented with a light bulb graphic button. Participants could choose whether or not to press the button, and the light bulb would either light up, or remain off as a result of their decision. As a result, there were four categories of trial: press with light, press without light, no-press with light and no-press without light. After 10 trials participants were asked to rate how much control they felt they had over the light bulb. In the passive condition, participants were only presented with a light bulb graphic, and informed that they would observe an imaginary friend, Bob, perform the task. As in the active condition, there were four categories of trial, and after 10 trials, participants were asked to rate the level of control they perceived Bob had over the light bulb. Participants completed the Superstitious Beliefs Questionnaire (SBQ), a demographic survey, and were asked if they were aware of the experiments design. The SBQ is a 26 item scale, designed to measure the level of superstitious belief in an individual. Each item of the SBQ can be scored from 0 up to 4, making a maximum score of 104 points possible. Participants who scored less than or equal to 46 on the SBQ were placed in the low superstition group, whilst those who scored above 46 were placed in the high superstition group. Procedure The participants were asked to complete a contingency judgement task, in two conditions. Each condition consisted of four sets of 10 trials. In the active condition, participants were instructed to choose between pressing or not pressing a button on the screen. This action or inaction then lead to a light bulb on the screen being illuminated. After 10 trials of this, participants were asked to rate how much control they had over the light bulb, using a sliding scale displayed on the screen. In the passive condition, participants were informed that they would observe an imaginary friend performing the task. The participants were able to observe the outcome (whether the light turned on or remained off) and were informed of the imaginary friend action (pressing or not pressing the button). Participants were again asked to rate how much control the imaginary friend had over the light bulb. References Abramson, L. Y., Seligman, M. E. P., Teasdale, J. D. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans: Critique and reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87(1), 49–74. Blanco, F., Matute, H., Vadillo, M. A. (2011). Making the uncontrollable seem controllable: The role of action in the illusion of control. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 64(7), 1290–1304. Dudley, R. (1999). The effect of superstitious belief on performance following an unsolvable problem. Personality and Individual Differences, 26(6), 1057–1064 Hiroto, D. S., Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Generality of learned helplessness in man. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31(2), 311-327. Matute, H. (1994). Learned helplessness and superstitious behavior as opposite effects of uncontrollable reinforcement in humans. Learning and Motivation, 25(2), 216-232. Matute, H. (1995). Human reactions to uncontrollable outcomes: Further evidence for superstitions rather than helplessness. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 48B, 142–157. Rudski, J. (2004). The illusion of control, superstitious belief, and optimism. Current Psychology, 22(4), 306-315. Yarritu, I. Matute, H. Vadillo, M.A. (2013). Illusion of control: The role of personal involvement. Experimental Psychology, 61(1), 38–47.

Weapons of World War 2 Essay -- essays research papers fc

Weapons and Artillery of World War II The result of World War II was affected by many different factors. One major factor which affected the war was the weapons and artillery used during the war. Since the beginnings of time, weapons have always been around. From swords and knives to nuclear weapons and missiles, weapons have evolved greatly throughout the years. The weapons and artillery used in World War II basically were evolved types of weaponry that were used during World War I (Military History 1). World War II began in 1939 when the German armies decided to invade parts of Europe, therefore causing Europeans to retaliate against the Germans (World War 1). World War II began because those countries which were defeated in World War I (Germany, Italy, and Japan) were greatly devastated by the loss. Their countries were suffering from economical problems and were also left in bad conditions after World War I. They had lost much territory and now were practically in debt for the damages which they had done during the war (1). These countries figured that the only way for them to get out of economic depression and revive their country was to take land from other countries, which was one of the reasons why the war began. The main countries which were involved in World War II were Germany, Japan, and Italy, which were known as the Axis Coalition, against the United States, the Soviet Union, and many other countries. Overall World War II was seen as the most devastating war in human history. Each country had different types of weaponry and artillery which proved to be vital in the result of the war (World War 1). Many new and improved weapons and artillery were brought out during the war. One example of this introduction of new weapons was the long-range rocket. Also during this time the atomic bomb proved to have a big impact on the war. Along with these new and improved weapons, falls the infamous tanks of World War II (Military History 1). Although some weapons proved to be more important than others, every weapon played an important role in fighting this war. Some of these smaller weapons include pistols and rifles. A majority of weapons used in World War II were improved weapons from World War II. Most guns increased in power and abilities. In World War II people thought that pistols were useless but this was proved wrong due to the fact that the U.S. Mi... ...ilities of the tanks being penetrated were slim. Also there was an addition of an anti-craft gun which made it even more powerful and unstoppable (Slayton 103). The result of World War II had tragic results for Japan, Germany, and also Italy. The United States and the Allies came out victorious once again but the cost of war greatly affected all the countries. Germany, Japan, and Italy now have more debts to pay and also lost much of their territory once again. The war took many lives and also ended up destroying many beautiful cities. World War II showed how not just the soldiers were affected in the war, but everyone in all the different countries were affected by the war. The fact that the result of World War II was affected by the weapons and artillery used throughout shows the importance of weapons and artillery. Without weapons or artillery there is no war. Without money there are no weapons or artillery. Without money there is no need for war because countries have no reason to go to war. Works Cited Anderson, Rich. â€Å"The United States Army in World War II.† Google.com. 20 January 2005 Slayton, Robert A. Arms of Destruction. New York: Citadel Press, 2004.

A comparison of two poems by Robert Frost: “Ghost House” and “A Cabin in the Clearing”

The first of the two poems, â€Å"Ghost House† is formally structured. It is made up of six stanzas, each with five lines. It has a strict rhyme scheme: the first, second and last lines of each stanza rhyme, as do the third and fourth lines. This creates two neat rhyming couplets in each stanza, with the final line appearing disjointed as if it were an addition. This echoes the sentiments of belonging, in contrast with isolation and loneliness, that Frost expresses in the text. The tone of this poem is established immediately by the title. Although it is a commonly used phrase, and is also quite brief, the words â€Å"Ghost House† have uneasy and frightening implications. The poet has created an eerie mood in the poem that is contributed to by the use of the narrator character, the unknown â€Å"I†. The question of who, or what, this character is has been intentionally left unanswered by Frost, as well as many other questions. This encourages the reader to think more deeply about the poem, as the answers are not obvious, and in most cases not revealed at all. Unanswered questions instil in the reader a sense of instability and confusion, which serves to enhance the atmosphere of the poem. As these are the feelings expressed by the narrator character, this creates empathy. The subject of the poem is the house where the narrator lives, or â€Å"dwells†, and the â€Å"mute folk† that share it with him. Central to the poem is the fact that the house has â€Å"vanished† and that nature has returned and reclaimed the land where it once was. The sense of the passage of time, and the inevitability of life, existence and death, is a theme common to much of Frost's work. In this poem the reader is told that the house was destroyed â€Å"many a summer ago†. Although the circumstances surrounding the fate of the house are unclear, it is suggested that a natural disaster was the cause. Use of the word â€Å"vanished† implies that the house was destroyed suddenly, and the fact that it â€Å"left no trace but the cellar walls†¦ † suggests a disaster such as a fire, especially as the poem is set in America where wooden houses are common. Imagery is used, as â€Å"a cellar in which the daylight falls† is depicted, and the raspberries growing on the site are described as â€Å"purple-stemmed†. These images involve the reader in the poem, and highlight the combination of human influences and nature that is happening. The reader is given the impression that nature is the controlling force in the situation, that nature is infinite and perpetual, and people are insignificant in comparison. While they may have made an impact on their environment, nature has quickly erased it, as â€Å"the footpath down to the well is healed†. The word â€Å"healed† is an emotive one as it has connotations of pain, implying that the footpath was a wound on the landscape that has now been restored. It is a reminder of the fact that when we die it does not change the world; nature carries on, and we are soon forgotten. Throughout the second stanza there are examples of the site returning to its natural state, as the â€Å"woods come back†¦ † and the trees grow freely again. There is a sense of protection, with the use of the word â€Å"shield† to describe the grapevines growing over the fences. Nature is shown as a regenerative force as well as a destructive one. In the third stanza there is a repetition of the word â€Å"vanished†, referring to the house; it is described as a â€Å"vanished abode†. This reinforces the unusual situation of the narrator, that he lives in a house that does not exist. The narrator describes his â€Å"strangely aching heart†. This is a powerful reference, as the word â€Å"aching† describes a physical sensation, which is more effective than a purely emotional one, and a sense of pain is indicated. There seems to be a connection between the narrator and the house, he relates how the house is linked to the rest of the world by a â€Å"disused and forgotten road† possibly indicating that this is how he feels, that his connection with the world has been destroyed, and that he himself is â€Å"forgotten†. Imagery is used throughout the poem, as Frost describes the area surrounding the house, and the â€Å"stones out under the low-limbed tree†, presumably gravestones, that have been covered by mosses so that the names cannot be read. This conveys a sense of mystery, as the reader is not informed to whom the stones belong. There are a number of themes that recur through the text. The last two stanzas are primarily concerned with the â€Å"mute folk†, who cohabit the house. They are introduced abruptly, relatively late in the poem. They are mentioned casually, and it appears as if the narrator makes the assumption that the audience is already aware of their existence. This indicates that they are a permanent presence in the narrator's life, and are a concern to him. It is not clear who, or what, these people are, just as it is with the narrator. This sense of confusion is reinforced many times. There is an entire stanza devoted to the apparently irrelevant â€Å"whippoorwill†. This could be simply to create atmosphere, and to contrast with the shock of the next stanza in which the â€Å"mute folk† are introduced. The â€Å"mute folk† are described as â€Å"tireless folk, but slow and sad† with the possible partial exception of two individuals, referred to only as â€Å"lass and lad†. It is possible that these two people are not as sad as the rest of their peers because they have a connection; they â€Å"belong† to each other. One theme of the poem is loneliness and isolation. The house is described as â€Å"lonely† and the road as â€Å"forgotten†. The narrator is a lonely character, isolated from the world and unable even to communicate with the â€Å"mute folk†. It appears that the narrator has no home, that he does not belong anywhere. Even the house where he dwells is not described as his; he calls it a â€Å"house I know† and does not claim that it belongs to him. It is assumed that the title of the poem refers to a house inhabited by ghosts, but it could refer to the â€Å"ghost of the house† or the memory of a time when the narrator had a home, and a sense of belonging. There is an eerie sense of death in the text. The word â€Å"vanished† is repeated, indicating a presence which was, but is no longer, there. The abruptness with which the house â€Å"vanished† leads to the assumption that death was involved; that people died in a disaster of some kind. In the third stanza there is a reference to the night, often used as a metaphor for death. It is expressed simply as â€Å"Night comes.. † and this supports the suddenness of death in the poem. The narrator describes his environment as â€Å"the unlit place†. Although this could be a literal reference to the house, darkened now that night has fallen, it could also mean that â€Å"the unlit place† is death, and the fact that the â€Å"mute folk† share the place means that they are also dead. There is an obvious reference to death in the mention of the â€Å"stones† or gravestones. The second poem, â€Å"A Cabin in the Clearing†, has a similar tone to the first poem, and addresses similar issues. However, the two poems have very different forms. In contrast to the structure and rhythm of â€Å"Ghost House†, the second poem appears to be constructed in a much more random way. This is partly due to the conversational style in which Frost has chosen to write. As a result of this there is no rhyme scheme to the poem, and no set stanza format. The poem is made up entirely of dialogue between two characters, â€Å"mist† and â€Å"smoke†. In the first poem the title influences the tone of the poem considerably as it affects the way that the rest of the poem is read. In the second poem the title is more vague, and although it sets the scene for the rest of the text it does not establish mood in the same way. The title of this poem uses the definite article â€Å"the† when referring to the clearing, and the indefinite article â€Å"a† when referring to the cabin. This places emphasis and importance on the clearing and detracts from the influence of the people on the landscape, as the cabin is manmade and the clearing is natural. The subject of this poem is the â€Å"sleepers†, presumably the inhabitants of the â€Å"cabin in the clearing†. They are present in the poem from the start, as the character of â€Å"mist† states, â€Å"I don't believe the sleepers in this house know where they are. † The two characters seem to hold different opinions of the â€Å"sleepers†, with mist appearing more accusatory and demanding of them, while smoke is more sympathetic. Both narrators appear not to understand the actions of the people There are many similarities between the two poems. Both have narrator characters, and the perspective of these characters is the same. In â€Å"Ghost House† the narrator is an observer of the â€Å"mute folk†, while in the second poem the narrators are observers of the â€Å"sleepers†. However in the first poem there is only one narrator, who expresses one view, and in the second poem there are two narrators who express two different and slightly conflicting views. The narrators in the two poems have different attitudes towards the people that they are watching. In the first poem the reader is given the impression that the narrator would like to communicate with the â€Å"mute folk† but is unable to. In the second poem it seems as if the narrators could communicate with the â€Å"sleepers† if they wanted to, but they choose the role of observers voluntarily. However in both poems the narrators seem removed from the world of those they observe. In â€Å"Ghost House† this removal becomes isolation, and the audience is made to feel more sympathetic towards this narrator than the equivalent characters in â€Å"A Cabin in the Clearing†, as in this poem the narrators have a bond with each other, and are not as dependant on the â€Å"sleepers†

Local Literature

A significant amount of literature is available on inventory systems. A majority of the findings are derived from experiences in the US, Japan and Western Europe. Some inventory systems however, can be affected by variations in local conditions such as infrastructure, customs, duties, and regulations. Hence, it is essential to view such systems in an international context. To frame this research, we will examine the literature on operations in NIC countries followed by an analysis of local conditions in Thailand. A number of articles are available that examine the inventory setups in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea (Amsden, 1989). For example, Cheng (1988) and Hum and Ng (1995) examine the workings of Just In Time (JIT) systems in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively. Other studies related to inventory management include facility location decisions (Sisodia, 1992; Nambiar, fielders, and Van Wassenhove, L. N, 1989; Mathews, 1997) and distributed systems. These studies indicate that Thailand is not as industrialized as the other NIC countries such as Singapore, and infrastructure shortcomings play an important role. Next, we will examine the literature on the quality of infrastructure in Thailand. Infrastructure affects both the productivity and effectiveness of manufacturing companies. It has a direct impact on the distribution of raw materials, parts, and finished goods to customers. The few studies focused on Thailand have primarily addressed infrastructural problems in Thailand (Chalamwong, Chalongphob and Wattanalee, 1994; Chalamwong, 1993). In identifying the infrastructure-related problems, Yukio (1990) calls for the Thai government to pay closer attention to transportation systems in their effort to attract more Japanese and foreign investment. Sibunruang (1986) also points to infrastructural constraints having a bearing on the development of the Thai economy. The present government, however, does realizes the importance of infrastructure for the country's overall economy. In its efforts to improve infrastructure, the Thai government has privatized telecommunication service and has started seeking help from private local and foreign companies to cope with the road shortage. The government has also approved a number of projects for the construction of highways in and around Bangkok. Furthermore, the airports in Thailand are now better managed. Although infrastructure remains a problem, there is a substantial pool of investors looking to open shop in Thailand. Information on production and inventory management practices in Thailand can help managers better understand and identify approaches that might be suitable for their companies' operations in that country. As noted earlier, no research on inventory management in Thailand has been undertaken and reported in the literature. The next section presents the methodology used in examining the types of inventory systems employed by foreign companies in Thailand.